Michigan State’s athletic department is "under investigation by the NCAA for its handling of the Larry Nassar situation," according to a front-page piece by Chris Solari of the DETROIT FREE PRESS. MSU Senior Communications Manager Jason Cody "confirmed the university received a letter of inquiry from the NCAA regarding the case" of Nassar, a former doctor at the school. At least a dozen former MSU athletes -- from the "gymnastics, volleyball, rowing, softball and track and field programs -- were among the women and girls who have given victim-impact statements during the first six days of Nassar’s sentencing hearing" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 1/24). In N.Y., Marc Tracy notes Nassar "spent decades on the faculty at the university and treated its athletes." NCAA Chief Legal Officer Donald Remy said, "The NCAA has requested information from Michigan State about any potential rules violations." An MSU spokesperson said that the university was "reviewing the letter before issuing a response." Several voices "ordinarily critical of the NCAA have urged the organization to stay away from the allegations" against Nassar. Remy: "We are always mindful of the voices around college athletics and we strive to do the right thing" (N.Y. TIMES, 1/24). In Michigan, Julie Mack listed 12 questions MSU "should answer" about the Nassar case (MLIVE.com, 1/23).
IS NCAA ILL-EQUIPPED? USA TODAY's Dan Wolken writes under the header, "NCAA Ill Equipped To Do Anything About Michigan State's Handling Of Larry Nassar." The NCAA’s decision yesterday to "jump into the fray" only "muddies the waters at this point." Given the organization’s recent "troubled history of trying to get its arms around issues outside its rulebook, dealing with something the magnitude of Michigan State is baffling at best and calculated grandstanding at worst." If looking to the NCAA to be the "moral compass for its members or to be powerful like the NFL with the discretion to punish people because it feels like the right thing to do, you’re hopelessly misguided." Wolken: "How many times do we need to prove that?" (USA TODAY, 1/24). ESPN's Mike Golic Jr. said, "Look at what the NCAA is tasked with policing. Not criminal matters like this but much like the NFL, you box yourself into a corner now to where (NCAA President) Mark Emmert failing to have any comments about what's going on in the sexual abuse scandal seems insane." Golic: "You've established that you deal in this stuff now, you deal in punishing for these kinds of acts, much like the way the NFL did when it started assigning numbers to domestic violence cases and trying to regulate in that area." ESPN's Mike Golic added, "You have to take a breath and say, 'Wait a minute, is this where the NCAA should be going?'" ("Golic & Wingo," ESPN Radio 1/24).
SPEAKING OUT: Former gymnast Rachael Denhollander, a current attorney in Kentucky, today closed out Nassar's seven-day sentencing hearing, and Yahoo Sports' Dan Wetzel noted she was "eviscerating Michigan State like a skilled prosecutor." Denhollander was the "first Nassar victim to come forward publicly" (TWITTER.com, 1/24). The Athletic's Katie Strang also noted Denhollander was "eviscerating" MSU Dean William Strampel. She said that MSU "continues to tout its lack of knowledge by saying it didn't 'believe' Nassar had been doing anything wrong: 'No one believed because They. Did. Not. Listen'" (TWITTER.com, 1/24).
PRESSURE BUILDING: MLIVE.com's Mack noted MSU Vice Chair Joel Ferguson has "apologized for comments he made Monday" when talking about the Nassar case during a radio interview on WVFN-AM. Ferguson "laughed when asked if the NCAA might investigate" MSU as a result of the Nassar controversy. He replied, "For what?" (MLIVE.com, 1/23). In DC, Susan Svrluga notes MSU President Lou Anna Simon is "facing increasing pressure to resign as controversy engulfs the school over its handling" of the Nassar controversy. Some faculty leaders "called for a no-confidence vote this week, and hundreds of students say they will march Friday to the school’s administration building," calling on Simon to "step down." But Ferguson yesterday said that Simon is "not leaving." Ferguson: "That will not happen. Period" (WASHINGTON POST, 1/24).
